Son of the Sea: The Lightning Thief
by Magic713
Summary: At age ten, Percy discovered he was a demigod, but was unclaimed, trained at Camp Half-Blood. One year, he decides to make it in the real world, but Fates have other plans when Zeus's master bolt was stolen. Now Percy and his friends must use the skills they've learned and work together before a civil war of the ages breaks out.
1. Looks like Summer Break Starts Early

I really do envy the other troubled kids at times. Unlike me, they don't know the crazy things that goes on outside their life. Me, not so lucky. But I guess I just wanted some semblance of a normal life. I'm sure that's I'm in this mess.

 _It was two years ago when I first discovered I was not like other kids. It was during a trip to the Aquarium, where my mess began. While the guide was giving us a tour of the shark pool, I couldn't help, noticing the sharks staring at me. The whole thing was so weird, though I really should've watched where I was going. After an accident, involving a misplaced lever and an unscheduled swim with my class, things got unbelievably worse. When the teacher was interviewing officers of the accident, I could not help but see from the crowd, some woman stare at me with unsettling, eyes with slit pupils. She seemed to take an interest in me the same way I took an interest in Mom's blue cookies. They gave me that same unsettling feeling I had when that strange big man followed me around last year. Well, there was no way I was sticking around to become the course of a Percy Happy Meal._

 _My troubles didn't end there. I still had some spare change and tried to call home, hoping to reach my mom. Heck, I would've even settled for Smelly Gabe at this point. I kept calling when no one picked up, but after a few minutes, I heard a growling and I ended up being chased down by two funky-looking dogs. They cornered me by the river, and while some people were running to help me, I knew they wouldn't make it in time, so it was either become a big chew-toy, or take a less-than pleasant bath._

 _Now I don't remember much of the swim, but I remembered was waking up on the shore at Montauk. After collecting myself, I saw that I drifted right in front of the very cabin my mom and I rented out occasionally. Of course, I should've known there was a catch. I didn't see a car, so I assumed the cabin was unoccupied, until I found the door unlocked. Not taking chances, I grabbed the first thing I could find, a broom, and searched the place. Someone strong grabbed my shoulder from behind and I made a few good swings at him, before seeing he was some big kid. He was very tall and seemed to have some muscle, and he was easily able to disarm me and pin me to the wall before politely asking me to stop hitting him. Once I calmed down, he told me his name was Tyson and that was expecting me to show up. He said his dad sent him to find me and take me somewhere safe. I know, I really shouldn't trust strangers, but I could feel like I could trust this kid. He was very polite to me, despite being twacked a few times, and perhaps having some muscle would help. He said that he would keep me safe while I get some shut-eye, which I admittedly had taken him up on, after the day I've had. When I awoke an hour later, he had a knapsack which he gave me which held a pack of money, along with some food, supplies, and a few weird coins, and said we had to go now._

 _Using the few hundred bills, we hitched a ride on a taxi and Tyson told the driver where to go, before I could give my address. He promised that the place we were heading was safe for me. On the drive, I tried to grill him with a gazillion questions: who he was, who his father was, why'd he care, etc. But the only thing he told me was we were going to a safe place, which he just referred to as Camp. Now again, I didn't quite understand what happened, but I swear, the dogs that had stalked me in the city returned and burst through the front window, forcing the driver to swerve off the road. The driver seemed unharmed, from what I saw, and the kid pulled me out of the cab and next thing we knew, we were running up a beaten path. The dogs were gaining on us, and I saw one of them pull down my friend, as he released me. I grabbed a branch and fought them back, with Tyson fighting with me, but we also heard hissing sounds, and I saw that woman from the aquarium holding the leashes of two more dogs. She let go of the leashes, freeing the dogs and Tyson grabbed my arm, almost pulling it out of its socket, as he practically threw me up a hill. I tumbled down on the other side and I was a little disoriented, but I heard metal clashing and shouts, and growls. By the time I got my bearings, I was faced with a sword pointed at me, by some blond girl demanding me to identify myself._

 _It was there I learned who I was: that I was a demigod, my father was a god, that monsters exist, and that I was sent to be trained to fight them. After explaining my situation, Chiron allowed me to contact my mom, and I learned that Iris-messaging was much safer for demigods to communicate, than the standard phone call. My mom yelled at how reckless I was, running off, but eventually calmed down, saying how relieved she was I was safely at camp. The last year, as camp was ending for the summer, I felt confident enough in my skills to protect myself outside of camp. The best thing was that now I was trained to defend myself from the usual monster attacks, my mom no longer needed Gabe's scent to hide me, and while I was out, she divorced him and kicked him out of our lives. I was there for a year and a half when I decided to try living with my mom again. It was a good to see her again and I said goodbye to my friends, including Luke and Annabeth, before heading home. My mom had me set up at Yancy Academy, being one of the few schools left to accept me, which brings us back to my problems now._

Our school took a trip to the museum, where we learned of Greek myths (for me, re-learning from a mortal's viewpoint). It was there that I saw an old lady giving me a weird glare. Over my time at camp, I had learned to trust my instincts and now knowing the existence of monsters made it easier to spot them. Having a closer look at the hag, she had certain features that spelled out danger, especially to someone like me. I excused myself to go to the bathroom and slipped away, hoping to draw out the woman away from crowds.

I ran into a closed exhibit, being redecorated for the Viking showcase. I rushed to my backpack and took out a short sword. The blade was never quite balanced for me, but it was the best I could take with me from camp. The blade was made of Celestial bronze, so with luck, mortals couldn't see what it was, and it gave most monsters pause.

I waited by the door when the old lady came walking through, ever so slowly.

"Stay away," I warned her, taking the sword out of the sheath, holding up to my foe.

"You've been a problem, boy," she said in an uncomfortable patronizing manner, "Did you really think you could get away with it? That your father could protect you?"

I flinched a little at the mention of my father. I did not know which god she spoke of, but the fact she even mentioned him threw me a little.

"Confess and it will be less painful."

I still made no movement, waiting for her to make her move.

"Fine," she said and her human disguised ripped away, revealing a bat-like thing. She had sharp fangs and nails and big black wings, "Die, Percy Jackson!"

Before I could take a swing, she charged at me, shoving me off the ground and into a Viking ship, causing it to shake. I got back on my feet and grabbed my sword. She dropped down and I tried to swing at her, but she dodged it, and grabbed hold of my wrist before I could recover. She dragged me into the air, trying to ram be along some of the structures. I used my free hand to grab a Viking helm from one of the dummies and with force, stabbed the talon hand, breaking her grip on me, with the scaffolding below to break my fall as I crashed through each plank before hitting the floor.

"Percy!" I heard someone shout my name. I looked to see a familiar face.

"Grover?" I said, wondering why a camp satyr was doing here.

I heard a screech of the monster and saw my sword stuck on the high ledge of what was left of the support. The monster circled in the air.

"Percy, here" Grover shouted, tossing me what looked to be a pen. I looked at him as he was crazy, and he must have noticed, "Uncap it!"

Grove began to draw the creature's attention, as I uncapped the pen. Suddenly, the pen transformed into a double-bladed sword, made of Celestial Bronze. It was unlike any weapon I ever wielded at Camp. Something about this blade felt right in my hands.

"Hey bird brain," I shouted at the monster. She charged again and this time I was prepared to dodge it, getting a good swipe at her leg. She screeched and turned for another swipe with her talons and I took a good swipe at her torso, causing her to burst in gold dust.

Exhausted, I leaned on the ground and looked around at the mess made from the fight. Grover leaned on the scaffolding, only for my former sword to fall down, barely missing him.

"Grover," I said, getting up to grab the sword, putting it back in the sheath and into my pack, "G-man, great to see you, but what are you doing here?"

"Chiron told me to find you. Something's happening, and he told me to bring you back to Camp as soon as possible."

Hearing noise of people coming, we snuck out the door, and Grover helped show me how to cap the sword to a pen.

While it was not my first monster fight, something didn't feel right about this monster.

"Grover, what was that thing. It knew me. It wasn't like the usual hellhound."

Grover looked conflicted but said, "It was a Kindly One."

"One of the Fur-" I stopped, seeing Grover flinch, and remembering the power names carried, "The minions of Hades?"

He nodded.

"Why would Hades have a problem with me? I didn't do anything?"

"Percy, we really need to go."

"Grover, if Hades is sending monsters after me, he's going to want to go after Mom. We have to get her."

"Percy, we don't have time. Chiron was very clear. Get you back to camp."

"Grover, it's my mom. I'm not going to abandon her."

Before he could argue, I hailed a cab and had it drive to our apartment, a few blocks away.

"Mom!" I shouted, bursting through the door, figuring she should be home by now.

"Percy, what are you doing home," my mom said, concerned. She then saw that Grover was with me, "What happened?"

"Mom, I am going back to camp. Something's happened and I need you to be safe," I said.

"Percy…" she began, sounding sad.

"Mom, I am not leaving you to these monsters. Now please, we need to go," I said, grabbing some supplies for the trip.

Luckily, Mom seemed to know when arguing with me was pointless, "Okay."

Grover helped me while Mom packed some things in her room, before coming out with a small pack case.

We got into the car and drove off as fast as we could, reaching Long Island in record time.

"Percy," my mom said, "What happened?"

"I don't know. Apparently, the Lord of the Dead wants to add me to his collection of dead Half-bloods," I said.

"Chiron sent me," Grover said, "And by the time I found him, he was being attacked by a Kindly One."

"I was afraid this would happen," my mom said, "This has something to do with your father."

"Yeah, she said he wouldn't be able to protect me. But he abandoned us. I'm unclaimed, as in no one special. At least from the average demigods."

We were getting close when a tree landed on the road, forcing us to crash into a ditch. Me and Grover got out and we pulled Mom out as her door was jammed. We ran to Half-Blood Hill, when we heard a roar. We turned to see a Minotaur charging at us.

"Grover," I said, feeling the pen in my pocket, "Take my mom to camp. Get Chiron to let her through."

"Percy, that thing's after you. You're too important to give your life for me," Mom said.

"There's no time!"

I uncapped my pen as it turned into the sword again. The bull was much faster than I thought, and it was on us before I could react. I used the skills I learned at camp to try to take it down and for a second, it seemed to work. Until it got a good strike, hitting me against the tree, sending my sword flying into the woods. The thing towered over me, prepared to end my, when it stopped.

It pulled back as I saw Grover had jumped it. I could also see my mom attacking the creature, swinging an object at its legs and chest. My sore muscles fought against me as I struggled to get up. But by the time I saw, Grover was thrown a few yards into the camp grounds and the giant bull had its hand around Mom's neck, dropping the sword she must've grabbed from my pack. In an instant, I saw my mom vanish into gold dust and light.

"Mom!" I screamed as the last of her light vanished.

I felt a fire burn in me, never feeling such intense hatred of something in my life. I jumped on the bull's back, getting a good grasp of the horn. It tried to shake me off, but I held on tight and used my strength to rip off its horn, before jumping off. I one swift motion, I dodged its attack and stabbed it in the side with its own horn and it dissolved into dust.

Bloody and exhausted, I made my way up hill, slowly limping. I saw campers, the border patrol, looking at Grover's unconscious form, and one of them spotted me. I didn't know who they were in their armor until I saw those familiar grey eyes under the helm. Talk about some serious déjà vu. She helped support me as we made our way to the Big House. I could hear her trying to ask me questions, but I could not focus, trying to stay awake. We made it to the porch right before everything went black.


	2. I get an Unwanted Prize

Surprisingly, my first arrival to camp seemed pretty similar to now.

 _I got up, after my roll down Half-Blood Hill. And when I got up, a girl my age, dressed in Greek armor, had me at sword point. She demanded who I was and what I was doing there. I told her who I was, but wanted to know what was going on. Seeing my ignorance, she lowered her weapon and took me to the Big House, where she introduced me to Chiron. I was a little stunned seeing a man-horse up close. He told me who I was and what I was: a demigod, half-blood, a child of a god. Surprisingly, after the day I had, the news was a little easier to absorb, but I was really exhausted to ask more questions. Sadly, I never did find out what happened to Tyson. I was told that they didn't see anyone else after chasing away the monsters._

When I woke up in the morning, I saw my friends: the tall young adult, Luke, looking over me, and the other wiping my face.

"Still drool in your sleep, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, causing me to laugh a little.

"It's great to see you too, Wise Girl," I said to her, calling her by her nickname.

"Good to have you back," Luke said, patting me on the shoulder, "And good job against that monster."

Annabeth looked at me with concern, "Percy, you were talking in your sleep. You mentioned the solstice and something stolen. Do you remember?"

I tried to tell her I couldn't recall my dream, but a knock on the door saved me some time, as she fed my more ambrosia and I lost consciousness again. By the time I woke up, I was sitting on the porch with Grover watching over me.

After we caught up, he handed me a box, "Here you go. I got this back up on the hill."

I opened it up to see the minotaur horn. Honestly, seeing it brought back the bitter memory of seeing my mom killed, but I wasn't going to say that, after all the trouble he went to. I thanked him, and he took me to Chiron. We found the old centaur playing pinochle with Mr. D, aka, the god Dionysus, who was sentenced here as camp director as punishment for the next century. He really made no effort at all in hiding his displeasure in being here. I also saw Luke, waiting for me.

"Percy, good to see you up today," Chiron said.

"Thanks, it's good to be back."

"Peter Johnson, I see you came back with trouble on your tail," Mr. D said, not looking up to me.

I really hated the way he just was apathetic towards us, despite being not only director, but also a former demigod himself. But I've learned not to let his words get to me after some time.

"Please, Percy, have a seat. How has your year been?" Chiron said.

I sat down as they continued their game. I talked about my experience outside camp, specifically any monsters that might have appeared since I left. I told them about a small handful of monsters that came for me when I was gone, but Chiron looked really concerned once I mentioned the Fury in addition to the minotaur.

"Well, Luke, since Percy seems to be feeling a lot better, how about you help him get settled back into cabin 11."

"Sure, no problem," Luke said, "C'mon."

I followed Luke, and as we walked away from the Big House, I took in the familiar sites of the camp.

When I first arrived, I was given the tour around camp with amazement by all the Greek structures. Not to mention the lava-spilling rock climbing wall. All twelve cabins represented each of the twelve Olympians, and each had some unique features to them. I was placed in the most ordinary cabin, cabin 11. It was the Hermes Cabin, which was home to children of Hermes, and children unclaimed by their divine parent. It was there where I met one of my friends and cabin counselor, Luke Castellan.

"It really is great to have you back again," Luke said as we drew closer, "Things have been a little unsettling since the Winter Solstice meeting."

"Yeah, I've noticed the weather has been very weird lately. Did something happen up there?"

"You know how it is. No one's telling us anything. Annabeth's been trying to find out, but Chiron's been evasive. Clearly something's wrong."

"How is Annabeth?"

"The same as usual. Itching to go on a quest. Wants to put some training to use."

"And you?" I asked, but noticed he began to frown.

Luke was one of the few campers here to be sent on a quest. We were all very excited for him, but when he returned, he was not really the same. He failed his quest, and he had a scar on his eye as a souvenir. Annabeth and I tried to get him to open up, but he was very withdrawn for a few weeks, and when he went back to training, we noticed he was more aggressive with swordplay, almost taking off one of my fingers. But eventually the old Luke seemed to find his way back and we even had a good laugh about it.

"I try not to care about whatever mess the gods get themselves into," he said, "They'll do what they always do, and not care if we suffer for it."

We were close to Cabin 11 now, "Alright Percy, here we are. Be careful with that prize. Now that you've slain Pasiphaë's child, I've heard the Stoll brothers have an eye on that horn."

I chuckled a little, but took his advice to heart as I held my box tighter and we entered the cabin.

I was greeted by some familiar faces, with many of the campers congratulating me on my recent vanquish. Of course, my old spot in the cabin had been filled, but I wasn't going to complain about it. Luke led me to a space with a rolled up sleeping bag and pillows, along with some clothes from the gift shop, and I got myself ready.

In late afternoon, I left the cabin and found Annabeth waiting for me outside.

"Hey, Anna-"

She punched me very hard in the shoulder.

"Grover told me what you did. You could've gotten yourself killed," she screamed.

"Ow," I said, rubbing my shoulder. "Sorry, I-"

Then she suddenly gave me a hug.

"I'm sorry about your mom, but I am glad you're back."

"Thanks, I am glad to be back," I said, a little confused but willing to return the hug.

 _During my first weeks here, Luke was teaching sword practice. When I was easily able to disarm him in the first try, he was so impressed, he wanted to teach me more in private. That's where got to know my closest friend at camp, Annabeth Chase. She seemed to have an interest in me during the first few days after arriving. After a few months of prying, I got her to open up more to me. She and I got more acquainted when we began training together with Luke. I learned that she and Luke arrived together to Camp a few years before I showed up. She told me about her family, and how she ran away from mortal home, feeling unwelcomed by them and how proud she was proud after discovering she was a child of Athena. When Luke left for his quest, we continued our spares together, and she even let me join in border patrol around the camp._

As we walked together, I told her about my time outside camp. I told her of how my mom welcomed me home, with her famous blue cookies, and with Gabe no longer around to spend her hard-earned cash, we could afford schooling for me, while she was saving up for writing classes. Annabeth told me of her trip to Olympus with the other campers, and how things have changed at camp.

"I heard Grover is in trouble," Annabeth said.

"What? Why," I asked, in disbelief.

"He was supposed to protect you when he escorted you here."

"So he's not going to get his searchers' license?" I asked. Getting a searcher's license was Grover's dream. I meant he was allowed to search for Pan, the long-lost god of nature and Satyrs.

"I'm not sure."

She stopped abruptly, and I looked around, seeing that she cleverly lead me to the arena, and she pulled out with her dagger.

"Tomorrow is Capture the Flag," she said, "Let's make sure you haven't fallen out of practice."

She grabbed a discarded shield from the ground, and I did as well, as I was looking for a discarded weapon. It was that moment, where I looked in my pockets and pulled out the pen-sword that I thought I lost in the woods. I uncapped it and, sure enough, there was my sword again. Annabeth's eyes widened, seeing the new weapon, but quickly got into fighting stance.

"Nice sword, but I am still going to crush you," she said.

"Bring it on," I said.

We sparred for a while, until the horn blew for dinner. While, I might've been covered in bruises, and fallen flat on my behind, I felt much better. It felt like I was back where I belonged. Annabeth helped me off the ground, "Welcome home, Seaweed Brain."

The next day, the day went as scheduled, as if I never even left. We went on with our camp activities: rock-climbing, wrestling, foot-racing, etc.

Both Luke and I both taught sword training, something we decided when he saw how skilled I was. When he was on his quest, I was allowed to continue teaching swordplay on my own. Proud to say, no one was _severely_ impaled under my watch.

I met with Grover at the lake in the afternoon, telling me that his judgement was suspended, with the Cloven Council believing his fate was still tied to me. So unless I was given a quest, he'd be stuck without a chance for a searcher's license for a good while.

"Grover," I said, speaking to him seriously, "Hades came after me and instead he got my mom. Do you think she's okay, you know, in the Underworld?"

"I don't know. I'd like to believe that in spite of everything, the Lord of the Dead would respect his position, and she would be judged fairly."

That didn't exactly bring much comfort. I did not like the idea of my mom being left at the mercy of Hades.

"Is there _any_ hero who successfully brought someone back from the Underworld?"

"Percy, please tell me you aren't-"

"No, no…I was just thinking, that's all. I mean other heroes have tried and failed, so what chance would I have?"

Grover did not seem to be convinced, but he didn't say anything else about it.

Soon it was dinner, and finally, capture the flag.

Once we were properly armed and armored, Annabeth assigned us to our positions. I was assigned border patrol, since I seemed to have an advantage at the brook. I assumed I must have been a demigod of some minor river god, since it seems like water gives me some boost in strength. It was also where Annabeth bestowed her nickname upon me.

I waited along the river, but I couldn't help but have this uneasy feeling I was being watched. Thank goodness my warrior instincts were active, because Clarisse and five of her equally ugly Ares siblings appeared from the other side of the border.

"Clarisse," I said, acting calm and collected as they prepared to surround me, "You sure brought a lot of back up for one patrol man. I'm a little flattered."

"Well, Prissy, we couldn't help, hearing your story defeating a Minotaur. I have this bet that it was all just luck, but some of my siblings think you might be worth a challenge. We wanted to settle it."

Of course, they made sure to surround me, so I was out of reach of the creek. I fought my best against at least two of the Ares kids, but Clarisse struck my shield with her electric spear. It numbed my arm a little, but it gave the others time to get some strikes at me. Clarisse tried to strike me with her spear again, but I quickly jumped and found landed in the creek. I could see Clarisse's eyes filled with rage. She knew that battle changed.

"What's the matter," I taunted, "Afraid of rusting your armor."

Luckily, Clarisse's siblings were more pig-headed than she was and charged at me through the river. Feeling recharged, I took out three of them and, at my own gamble, went at Clarisse, while she was waiting at the edge. She made another strike at me, but this time, I was able to dodge it and break the spear, before giving her a good thwack with the butt of my sword right on her nose. In a stroke of amazing fate, as Clarisse went down, I saw Luke run across the creek, carrying the enemy flag, winning us the game.

"Nice work," I heard Annabeth say, appearing next to me as she removed her enchanted Yankee Cap.

"You knew Clarisse would attack me," I said, with a mix of accusation and amusement.

"Athena…," she said, with a smirk, "Always has a plan."

We were going to head back, when I heard an eerily familiar sound of growling.

"Oh, Styx"

We turned around and a huge hellhound jumped down from the rocks, right on me, biting and scratching at me, leaving some large open claw marks on my arms and chest. Thanks to some archers, they killed the beast and it dissolved.

However, I was still bleeding out. I looked to see other campers gathered, as well as Chiron having arrived with his bow in hand.

"Percy, the water," Annabeth said, helping me up.

She helped me to the stream and let me go as I submerged myself with hopes that it can at least buy me some time for medical help. As I sunk in the water, I felt the pain begin to dissolve completely. I realized that my wounds weren't simply healed, they were completely gone, leaving no scars or any markings I was injured.

I looked at Annabeth, who was joined by Luke.

"Guys, I'm alright. Look, not even a scratch," I said, proudly.

But I saw they were staring at something else right above me. In fact, everyone seemed to take an interest in me. It was then I noticed a green light projecting the forest. I looked up and my excited mood completely dropped. Shining directly above me in a green light was a trident.

 _Di immoratales_

I had been claimed.

"Hail Perseus Jackson," Chiron said, "son of Poseidon."


	3. I'm sent to find some Missing Valuables

So, after two years, of discovering me being a demigod, I finally knew who my father was. He finally acknowledged me as his son. I was no longer some random unclaimed half-blood, but a claimed child of an Olympian. Not just any Olympian, but one of the Big Three. And camp just became a little more unpleasant place for me.

The next day, I was moved into cabin three. Luke and some of my former cabin mates helped me move out and get setup in the new cabin, which I had all to myself. I didn't have to worry about my stuff being stolen, no pranks from my cabin mates, I could make my own camp schedule, call lights out whenever I choose, I didn't have to hear chatter from bunk mates when I tried to get some sleep…and I was absolutely miserable.

Despite how crowded cabin eleven was, at least most of us were in the same boat. A bunch of unclaimed demigods, trying to get by, waiting for the day our parent claimed us. When I was first placed in Hermes Cabin, I was anxious to find out who my father was. Months past, and I got settled with the thought of remaining undetermined. Now, it felt like I was the new kid all over again. Other cabins had siblings, who made the newly claimed feel welcomed to the new changes, but I was on my own. The only good thing about my new space was the smell that reminded me of Montauk, sparking some of my best memories before all the demigod stuff came into my life.

Once I was finished setting up and settling into my new space, I spent the entire night awake, thinking about what just happened. I was a child of the Big Three: _I shouldn't exist_. What was Poseidon thinking? What was he doing all those years? Did he ignore me to protect me? Was it just that he didn't care about me? And why did he claim me now? I did see him once a few years ago, a few months after arriving at camp.

 _My memories went back to the time I visited Olympus during the Winter Solstice of my first year at Camp Half-Blood. We went to the Empire State Building and took the elevator to the 600_ _th_ _floor, to Olympus. The whole place was such an amazing sight, seeing Greek buildings clinging to the great mountain. Me and the other campers were presented to the Olympians, the towering figures sitting on their great thrones. Some of them simply ignored us, others greeted us or greeted their children. Some of them made me feel uneasy, such as Ares, and Hades, who was attending the mandatory meeting, away from his Underworld. And I remember how unsettled I felt when Zeus's eyes landed on me. I remember feeling the static in the air, as it appeared like the king of the gods had something to say. But he was interrupted by the man sitting next to him, whom I now know was my dad, saying something about wanting to get the meeting started, that certain issues needed to be addressed, and we were all dismissed. I don't think he looked at me at all since my stay at Olympus._

In hindsight, I guess I should've noticed the resemblance between us in appearance. But it's hard to do that with the thought of possible electrocution on the mind. I didn't go to any more Winter Solstice meetings after that, staying at camp the next year and staying at home the year after.

The next few days were some of the more unhappy days since I had been at camp. Most of the campers seemed to actively avoid me. I tried to continue sword-training lessons along with cabin eleven, but no one wanted fight against a child of Poseidon. And when I trained with Luke, he was much more tough on me.

"You need to be ready, Percy," Luke explained, when he finally let me rest. I was covered in scrapes and bruises, as I was on the ground.

"I have to keep you in top shape," he said in a serious tone, "You were claimed for a reason and I have no doubt, you're going to need every bit of practice if you're going to survive."

"You think I'm in danger?" I said, looking to see a worried look in his eyes.

"Percy," Luke said, relaxing, "You were attacked by a Hellhound in camp. And I'm sure Poseidon claimed you for a reason beyond parental obligation. The gods don't do things like that without needing something from us. There's no doubt, you are in danger. I need to make sure you're ready for whatever the Fates throws at you. You might not be in a different cabin, but I am still going to help you however I can."

After some more grueling training, I walked to the dock of the lake. I reached the end and I put my foot in the lake, letting the water slowly heal me. I know if I submerged my body in the water, I would be completely healed quickly. But right now, I didn't want to feel like I was somehow closer to Poseidon. I hadn't made my mind on how I felt about him yet, and was not interested in feeling close to his domain yet. For now, this would help.

I felt footsteps on the dock, and Annabeth sat next to me. For these past couple of days, I noticed that Annabeth, like the other campers, had been avoiding me.

"Hey," she simply said.

"Hey"

We stayed silent for a few moments, and I could not take it anymore.

"So," I said, casually, "I don't know if you heard, but I'm the child of one of the Big Three. Isn't that cool?"

"Yeah, and Poseidon, none the less," Annabeth said, with similar sarcasm and a touch of distain, "You know what that means?"

"Right. Athena and Poseidon don't get along. I guess that means we're doomed to be enemies too?" I asked, though I worried of how she would answer.

"No," she said as she looked at me with some agitation, "What it means is you have more seaweed in your head than we thought."

I moment past before I burst into a sudden laugh, caught completely off guard. It wasn't even that good of a joke but I just kept laughing and soon Annabeth joined in.

"Percy," Annabeth said, looking right at me, calming down, "It's true, I kinda wish your father was not a rival to my mom, but that's not your fault. Regardless what issues they have with each other, I'm with you till the end, no matter what."

"Really? No offense but you always seemed very proud of your mom. Why is this different?"

"Because we're friends, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?" she said.

Before I could answer, she pushed me off the dock and into the water. I felt the water begin to heal my wounds.

"Now quit moping and torturing yourself," she ordered, "I need you ready for our next match," she said with a smile on her face, which I reflected back to her.

That night, I had a dream of two huge figures, I assume was a form of Zeus and my dad, fighting, with Zeus demanding my dad return something. As I tried to stop it, I heard a terrible voice belonging to an unseen foe, and the ground opened beneath me, forcing me to wake up.

It was early morning, before sunrise, and I could not get back to sleep. Something really unsettling about that voice kept my mind occupied and I was not eager to return to it.

Luckily, I didn't need to worry, because Grover was at my door, saying I was needed at the Big House.

When I arrived, Chiron and Mr. D were talking.

"Well, if it isn't the great Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon, Earthshaker, Stormbringer, blah, blah, blah," Mr. D said, "You've certainly caused a stir. And now I have to go to Olympus for another family meet. I hope you're pleased?"

"I'll try to be less of an inconvenience in my next life," I said. I probably shouldn't have said anything, knowing what he could do but my mind was not exactly working the best this late/early.

"Ha," Mr. D said, "As if you'd even be qualified for rebirth. I should just turn you into a dolphin, but Chiron thinks that might be a little rash. He has another idea, though I think my idea's more merciful."

He looked to Chiron, "Go on, tell him. But I swear if he's still here when I return, I'm giving him a dorsal fin and flippers to match."

When Mr. D vanished, Chiron turned to me.

"Percy, I assume you've noticed lately that the weather has been different since the Winter Solstice."

"I did. Zeus is angry about something. I didn't know, but I've been having dreams of Zeus and my dad fighting. Something was stolen, right?"

"Yes, Zeus's master bolt."

My eyes widened. Someone had taken Zeus's symbol of power. It's never wise to steal anything from gods, and their symbols of power are at the top of the list.

"Who would be crazy enough to steal the bolt?"

"According to Zeus, you. He thinks during the last Winter Solstice meeting, you broke into Olympus and stole his bolt."

"What!? He thinks I stole it? How could I have taken it, I wasn't even at Olympus during Christmas. I was home."

"They didn't see you on Olympus, true, but they also weren't watching you during the meet. Zeus thinks that you could've found some way to reach Olympus secretly and steal the bolt for Poseidon."

"So because I'm the child of Poseidon, I'm immediately the top suspect? So what, am I going to be struck down now, or turned into something, like Thalia?"

"There is something that you could do. I suggested it, since I thought it could save your life and prevent civil war in Olympus. Would you be willing to go on a quest to retrieve the bolt?"

"A _quest_?"

Yes, a quest to find the bolt, and return it to Olympus before the Summer Solstice, as a peace offering.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Of course, though the alternatives mean war and death."

"Well, then I guess I accept. Where do I start?"

"You just consult the Oracle. It will give you clues on where your quest begins."

I went up to the creepy attic, filled with trophies from previous quests, along with a mummified woman sitting in a chair. I felt uneasy but asked, "What's my destiny?"

Green mist came from her mouth, and the words of the prophecy appeared to me:

 _You shall go west, and face the god who has turned,_

 _You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned,_

 _You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend,_

 _And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end._

The last two lines made me feel very uneasy. I demanded more answers, but she remained silent. I could see why Luke hated prophecies. They left more questions than answers. Seeing it pointless to try to get more from her, I left the attic.

I made it back down stairs, where Chiron and Grover were waiting for me.

"Well, what did the Oracle say," Chiron asked.

I repeated the first two lines of the prophecy, and I left out the part about the betrayal of a friend and failing to save what matters most.

"So I have to head west and face a god that has been turned. That must be Hades," I said, looking for an agreement.

"He certainly would have a lot to gain if Zeus and Poseidon were at war," Chiron rationalized, "You'll need to bring travel companions with you to help in your quest."

I looked over at Grover, who was nervously shaking.

"Hades?" Grover said, "But he's in the Underworld. With monsters, and it's underground, and he hates all heroes-"

Grover began to stammer, and I realized what that meant.

"G-man, I realize that this is important to you for your searcher's license. But I am not going to force you to go to the Underworld with me. I know how you feel about underground places."

"N-no Percy, I have to go," he said, trying to sound more confident, though clearly he was still worried, "It's not just for my license, but it would not feel right to stay behind after you helped me."

I was relieved that Grover was going with me.

"Percy, you'll need one more person to help you on this quest. Someone has already volunteered, if you'll accept."

I had an idea who volunteered, and my suspicions were confirmed when I felt an invisible force nudge my arm.

"I don't know Chiron," I said, trying to conceal my smile, "I mean, I'm strong and Grover has nature magic and can sense monsters. I'm not sure I'll need anyone who would be crazy enough to want to go with me."

"I'm going with you, Seaweed Brain" Annabeth stated, removing her cap, becoming visible while looking annoyed at me. I just smiled back.

"I'll gladly take you with us. But Annabeth, are you sure," I asked, using a more serious tone, "I mean, I'm going in blind, to the Underworld and I have no idea-"

"Exactly," she said, "You don't know, and you will need someone smart enough to keep you alive. It's not up for argument. You won't last a day without my help."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have a plan ready, Wise girl," I said with a smirk.

"Now that it's settled," Chiron said, "Percy, you, Grover, and Annabeth will set out to head west to Los Angeles, confront Hades, retrieve Zeus's master bolt, and return it to Olympus before the Summer Solstice."

Grover and Annabeth left and I was about to go, when I discovered my pen again appearing in my pocket, and first time, saw writing on the pen: _Anaklusmos_ translated to _Riptide_. The ironic name was not lost on mean as I looked to Chiron.

"You knew, didn't you, about who my dad was. That's why you sent Grover to give me this," I stated.

"I had my suspicions before but I didn't know until a few days ago. This was a gift from your father, who wished me to give it to you when you needed it most. When I knew you were in danger, I sent Grover to give you a proper weapon to help."

"Well," I said, remember when I used it, "It is a good weapon. It's well-balanced and it feels like…like it's mine."

"It has a tragic history, but your father knew you were meant to have it. And you'll never lose it."

"What do you mean?"

"Here, let me show you," he said, guiding me outside, "Now throw the pen away with all your strength."

I looked at him in confusion but did as he asked. I suddenly felt weight in my pocket and pulled out the pen.

"Cool," I said.

"Yes," Chiron said, "Now you should get ready to go. Time's a factor."

Me, Annabeth, and Grover had packed our things and we were about set for our quest that afternoon. Argus was going to drive us into the city to the bus station, where we would head to Los Angeles from there.

I had suggested we could've tried to make for Underworld by Pegasi, but Chiron rejected the idea. Despite the fact that Pegasi (descendants of Poseidon) are kinda neutral zone when flying in the sky (Zeus's domain) Chiron said with things boiling in Olympus, it might not be the best to tempt Zeus's patience by going into his domain at all until the bolt was retrieved.

As we were leaving, I saw campers watching our departure, and Luke and the Stoll brothers run up.

"Hey Percy," Luke said, "Just wanted to see you off. I hope your quest goes much better than mine did."

"Thanks Luke. Sorry you can't come, but Chiron said a trio is ideal for a quest and with my luck so far, I didn't want to risk it. Grover needs this and I know he'll be a great help. And you know I'll need Annabeth's help. If I could, I would've asked you-"

"Hey, no worries," Luke said patting me on the back, "I had my shot at a quest and now it's your turn."

"Thanks, maybe we'll go on the next quest together," I said, and we both laughed.

"Hey Percy," Connor Stoll said, "we wanted to say goodbye to our former cabin mate."

"We didn't want you to leave empty handed," Travis said, presenting a bag full of drachma, "We built a collection from cabin 11 to support you on your quest."

"Thanks," I said, taking the bag from them, "Um, do the others know they donated to my quest?"

"Good luck Percy," the two said together before running off, leaving me with Luke.

"And I have a gift for you," he said, presenting sneakers, "These shoes got me out of some real tight spots. Maybe they'll help you too."

" _Maia,"_ he shouted, and the wings appeared on the sneakers and they flew in the air for a few moments before landing back on the ground with the wings gone.

"Thanks, man," I said, thinking of how he had helped be these past few years. Making me feel welcomed, training me, even in his own way, accepting me after I was claimed.

"I know you have a lot riding on this quest. I just hope I help in some way," Luke said. He said goodbye to Grover and Annabeth and went back to camp.

I looked at the shoes, but it occurred to me that it would still be the same situation as with the Pegasi. I couldn't use anything that would take me from the safety of the ground.

"Hey Grover," I said, presenting the shoes to him, "I think these would suit you better than me."

"Thanks Percy," Grover said, happily accepting them. He tried them on and tried flying, falling over a few times, but I figured we had time to practice on our way to Los Angeles.

Grover, Annabeth and I got into the SUV with Argus and drove away. I looked in the mirror, seeing the camp vanish behind us as we began our quest.


	4. A Rocky Start

**A Rocky Start**

"Well, so far, so good."

I regretted those words the second they left my lips as Annabeth elbowed me. Never assume things will go smoothly and never say it out loud.

Argus drove us to the bus station, but as I got out, I saw something that made my heart sink. It was a poster of me, along with a contact number, should anyone see me. Apparently, I was wanted for questioning for the disappearance of my mother.

"This is not good," Grover said, seeing the picture.

"Who did this?" I asked in frustration.

Annabeth looked at it, "I'm not sure, but this is going to make things difficult for us. If mortals are looking for you, it's not going to be difficult for monsters to find you on sight."

It certainly stung that people could possibly believe I could ever hurt my mom. I crumbled the paper and threw it away. I saw Grover and Annabeth looking at me and I just shrugged my shoulders, and said with a casual tone, "Then I guess we better hurry."

When the bus finally arrived, we got into the far back seats. Things were going smoothly. Until Grover started to smell something that made him cringe. If it was a monster, it could be anywhere in any form. But luckily, they were easy to spot. Unluckily, it was a familiar face and she brought two of her sisters with her.

"All three Kindly Ones," Grover said, nervously.

"We have to get out of here," Annabeth said. Sadly, there didn't appear to be any exit other than the front of the bus and the roof hatch. And the Furies were making their way back to us.

"Here," Annabeth said, giving me her Yankees cap, "You can use this to sneak past them and escape."

"What about you guys?"

"They only want you, Percy. You're a child of Poseidon, so your scent is much stronger than ours. They might not even notice us."

"And what if they do?"

"Percy, we need to make sure you complete your quest."

"And leave you to die?"

"Just go, before they see you, Seaweed Brain. We'll be fine," Annabeth ordered.

I saw the Furies getting closer, and I quickly put on the cap. I made my way forward as I got closer to them. I froze as one stopped and looked directly at me. But she looked forward again and continued with her sisters to the back as I arrived at the front of the bus.

However, I heard a loud screech, and turned to see the Furies in their true forms, with their wings spread and their handbags turned into whips, attacking Grover and Annabeth.

"Where is it!" one of them screamed as they attacked my friends with their whips.

"He's not here," Annabeth said, taking out her dagger, preparing to fight. Grover took out his tin can, ready to throw it at his target. I was going to run and help, but too many mortals were standing in the way, checking out what ever scene the Mist produced of the Furies, preventing me from reaching them.

And then I got a terrifically horrible idea. Seeing the bus almost out of the Lincoln Tunnel, I gave the wheel a good jerk to the right, causing the bus to slam into the side, and turned it again, sending monsters and humans tossing around. As the bus was moving uncontrollably, it was thrown into one of the rural roads, and I pulled the emergency brake. Once the bus was finished its spinning, it came to a stop and the mortals ran off the bus, while the Furies regained their balance and began to attack my companions.

"Looking for me," I shouted, removing the cap.

That drew their attention to me and they approached me with an unsettling look in their eye. I uncapped Riptide, and dodged out of the way as one of them tried to strike me with their whip, lifting my sword up and striking one of them through the torso, turning her into dust. Annabeth used her knife and jumped one of them as Grover tried to help her. As the second one tried to strike at me, I took a swing and she exploded into dust as well. As Annabeth and Grover struggled against the last one, I felt the hairs on my head begin to stand as I felt the static begin to raise in the air. I heard thunder in the distance get louder and louder. I noticed the Fury was tied in her own whip and I pulled Annabeth off her as I grabbed Grover's hand.

"Percy," Annabeth said, "what-"

"We need to go, now," I warned. I must have had a look of terror because she didn't argue as I pulled her and Grover off the bus while the Fury tried to unwrap herself and free her wings. We got far from the bus, to see mortals shouting at the driver.

"Percy," Grover said, looking confused "we can't just leave our stuff-"

A loud blast of thunder erupted, and lightning struck the bus, causing it to explode with the Fury still inside.

We heard a loud screech from the Fury.

"She's calling for back up," Annabeth said.

We ran off into the forested area. While the lightning certainly helped our escape, I just hoped that it wasn't meant for me.

We were far enough in the forest to feel a little safe, but we also realized how hungry we really were.

"We need to find food," Grover moaned.

"You shouldn't have done that," Annabeth said, looking at me with her angry grey eyes, "You could've avoided a fight."

"Annabeth, what did you expect me to do?"

"You know I can take care of myself."

"I know that, but you had three Kindly Ones on you. I think a destroyed bus and three dead hags was a best scenario, considering."

We moved through the rainy terrain for a few minutes, when Annabeth said, "Look, I am glad you stayed. It's just, this is your quest Percy. We should be helping you, not the other way around."

I looked at her, "This isn't just my quest. I chose you and Grover to accompany on this quest. You're my team and more importantly, you're my friends. If I had to choose between your lives and some stupid bolt-"

A loud crash a thunder split through the sky, interrupting our conversation. I looked back at Annabeth, sadly smiling at me, knowing what I'd say. I smiled back and we continued our journey.

We traveled a little longer and as Grover finally got his reed pipes working, we saw a light ahead and found a closed gas station along an empty road. Outside were many stone carved statues, big and small. Me and Annabeth tried reading the sign but our dyslexia interfered and Grover read the sign for us:

"Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium"

Grover tried to stop me and Annabeth from checking out the place but we were so hungry and the smell of food inside was strong. We saw lights on so the place must've been opened. Annabeth and I looked at one another.

"Snack bar?"

"Snack bar."

We began looking around the place as Grover stayed behind us.

"Guys, I smell monster," he said.

"It's just left over from the Furies," Annabeth said. I might've agreed with Grover on being cautious but all I could smell was delicious hamburgers.

"Guys, can we please go. I feel like these statues are staring at me," Grover begged.

We got into the building, and heard a door creak open. We were greeted by a woman garbed in a long dress and a veil covering her face, hiding every part of her body but her hands.

"Children," she said in a Middle Eastern accent, "It's late to be out alone. Where are your parents?"

"They…um," Annabeth tried thinking of an excuse.

"We're orphans," I finished for her, thinking quickly.

"Oh, my," the woman said, "Orphans?"

"Yeah, we got separated from our…um…circus caravan," I answered.

"Oh poor dears," the woman said, "I am Aunty Em. Come this way. You must be starving. Come this way."

We thanked her and followed her.

"Circus caravan?" Annabeth whispered to me.

"You're welcome," I whispered back.

She rolled her eyes and I heard her whisper out loud something involving my head and kelp.

Once we were seated, I finally was able to take in some of the surroundings. I admit that the statues were unsettling as Grover said. And there was something off about Aunty Em as well. Like mentioning Annabeth's name before we even told her, or the hissing sounds, or how she never removed her robes even to cook.

And her story she told us of herself sounded very familiar: that she had a boyfriend and some woman was determined to split them apart, causing some accident. That she had two sisters who shared her pain, but left her, and she made statues in her solitude. I tried to remember but I was focus on wanting to please this woman, afraid to disappoint her. As I finished the meal she served, I could feel my eyelids getting heavy.

"Percy," Annabeth said, shaking me, sounding very concerned, "We really need to go. The…um…ringmaster might get worried."

"Yes," Grover said, sounding more concerned and alert, "The ringmaster."

"Wait, I'd like you all to stay for a pose. Just for my statues."

"Percy," Annabeth said. I suddenly felt a little more irritated from Annabeth's bossy voice. After what this lady had done to feed us with no charge, Annabeth just wanted to leave without repaying her kindness.

"Sure, we can stay," I said, ignoring Annabeth's usual frustrated look she gave me, "It's just a photo."

While Annabeth looked frustrated, she didn't resist as Aunty Em lead us to the spot to pose for the photo.

"Wow," Grover said, looking at a statue of a satyr, "Sure looks like my Uncle Ferdinand."

I looked over at it, as Aunty Em was complaining about the lack of light in the area. She said how she needed to remove her veil, though I had yet to see any camera she was going to use.

"Percy," Annabeth said. I noticed now a cautious tone in her voice, and I desperately wanted to listen. But at the same time, there was feeling of comfortable lull Aunty Em provided when she spoke. It was a familiar sensation, one which reminded me of a time at camp, when a child of Aphrodite was able to get me to do her chores last minute, just by asking, even though I was supposed to meet Luke and Annabeth for training. "Something's wrong."

"That is Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover gasped.

Suddenly everything started piecing together. Her story, the statues, the veil that she was now lifting.

"Close your eye!" Annabeth shouted before putting on the Yankees cap, vanishing, as I pulled Grover and myself face down on the ground. I heard Grover run off and I saw Aunty Em, approach me. I saw her veil fall to the ground and I could see her clawed hands now, and immediately looked away from her form. I saw in the reflection of the garden gazing balls that her head was covered in snakes, confirming my fears. Aunty Em…Aunty "M"…Medusa!

Medusa grasped my shirt, lifting me up and I shut my eyes tightly. She tried to speak to me. Tried to get me to sympathize with her plight, so I could look at her eyes. I knew now that she must have some charmspeak, and now knowing the danger made it easier to resist her. Didn't change the fact though that I needed to try to fight her without looking at her. And I was still weak from the food she feed me.

"Percy duck!" Grover shouted, and I heard a bunch of wings flapping. I forced myself out of her grasp and got out of the way as he flew by me with his eyes tightly shut, carrying a huge tree branch, "This one's for Uncle Ferdinand!"

I heard a hit, and hoped it was Grover hitting the mark. I felt a sense of relief as I heard Medusa growl in rage to Grover who was still flying around with his eyes closed trying for another hit. I crawled behind one of the statues and I jumped in surprise when Annabeth suddenly appeared right next, removing her hat.

"A little heads up," I exclaimed to Annabeth, as I grabbed her wrist, "We have to go, while she's confused."

"Percy, we have to kill her," Annabeth stated, not moving from her spot as I tried to pull her.

"Are you nuts? Have you seen what happens to people in her company?"

"Yeah. Look around Percy. All these statues, they're her victims. We have to stop her."

"But one look and any one of us will be like them."

"We can't just leave her for the next innocent victims to fall into her lair. I know you're worried for us, but I wouldn't live with myself, knowing this monster was out killing more people."

I looked around at the statues. Medusa was truthful about one thing, all of her "works of art" varied. Animals, satyrs, men, women, children of various ages, couples, whole families, all gone because of her. Annabeth was right. No more running.

"Alright, Wise Girl, so how should we do this?" I asked.

Annabeth exhaled with relief, "Medusa has a deep hatred to Athena's kids. She'll sniff me out the moment I get too close and cut me to shreds with those claws. You have a better chance at getting to her and the better weapon."

Annabeth looked around and grabbed a green glass ball and handed it to me. I nodded in silent agreement of her plan, and uncapped Riptide.

Look at the ball, I began approaching Medusa, getting closer as I saw in the reflection, her sending Grover flying into one of the bear statues. I made a run at her, continuing to look at the orb, but my charge was slowed as I saw her eyes in the reflection. Medusa saw me and attacked with her talons. With all my strength, quickly swung my sword, and saw it connect with her neck. I saw the head drop at my feet, as her body dissolved away.

I resisted the curiosity to look at her head until Annabeth covered it with the veil. Grover climbed off the stone bear, nursing a huge bump on his head, as the shoes continued to fly around him, having fallen off in the fight.

"That was not fun," Grover said, "Well, hitting her with a stick was fun, but being thrown into the bear, not so much."

"G-man," I said proudly, patting him on the back, "That was awesome. Good job."

He smiled proudly as the shoes fell to the ground and the wings vanished. We gathered our things, including Medusa's head and went back to the warehouse.

We double bagged the head into plastic bags as something dawned on me.

"So, Athena made that thing," I said out loud.

Annabeth glared at me, "Actually, Poseidon was the one who wanted to taunt Athena by meeting his girlfriend in Athena's temple. Apparently she's still sweet on him, since she wanted to have you in her collection as a reminder."

I could feel my anger raise, "Are you blaming me for this?"

"It's just a photo," she imitated my voice.

"Hey," Grover interrupted, "You're both giving me a migraine. Can we go?"

We both nodded. I looked around and saw the victims again. I knew it wasn't my fault for what happened to them. But I could hear Luke's resentment of the uncaring parents again. They're the reason for this. Medusa, our bus crash, the whole quest. I got another very dumb idea in mind as I went back into the building. Perhaps they needed a little reminder of their mistakes.

I found Medusa's accounting book and I felt a sense of disgust as I saw she sent shipments of statues to Hades to decorate Persephone's gardens in the Underworld. I found a shipping address for the entrance of the Underworld at DOA Recording Studios, West

Hollywood, California. I grabbed the page as well as a perfect size box.

At the cash register, I grabbed twenty dollars of cash, a few golden drachmas, and packing slips for Hermes Overnight Express with payment poaches. I came out and placed Medusa's head in the package, filled out the slip and wrote the address to the gods of Olympus, with my signature. After putting some coins in the payment pouch, the package vanished, and I assumed it reached its destination.

"They're not going to like that," Grover warned, "They'll think your impertinent."

"So what," I answered in a more anger than intended, "If they have a problem with me, they could find someone else for their quest."

I looked over at Annabeth, just daring her to argue, but she just looked at me with a reserved sadness.

"We should get going," she said, charging out the door. On our way out I turned off the neon light, shutting the door behind us.


End file.
